The Agency
by sudoku
Summary: Nathan set up a detective agency with the help of Matt and Mohinder. After a string of boring cases, finally they got a big break with a high profile case. Have they bitten off more can they chew? AU from Season 3 but slight spoiler for Season 3 ep 1 & 8.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Don't own Heroes, please don't sue!__  
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_Note: This's supposed to happen after season 2. It's actually written before Season 3 started for the Live Journal "Heroes Big Boom" of which deadline I missed. That's why it's completely AU from Season 3. Most parts of the story have actually been completed. I'll see how the response is before continuing writing the ending, therefore feedback is appreciated. :-)_

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Mohinder held a taser and a gun in both hands and looked at both Nathan(s) in front of him.

"Come on Mohinder, it's me Nathan, your partner. Why don't you taser the other guy?", urged the left Nathan.

The right Nathan added, "What makes you think Mohinder will trust you? Don't trust him, Mohinder. Ask us questions if you're not sure."

With scientific precision, Mohinder quickly labeled them as Nathan A and B.

"Enough of this arguing. I can taser you both and ask questions later. Where's Matt when I need him? It's always me who ended up in situation that needs decision making and you know my track record for decision making. I'm so going to kill whoever gave the idea of setting up this agency."

Nathan A said, "Well, you know who it was and how it all started."

Mohinder answered, "Yes, unfortunately, I remembered too vividly. If only I can go back to the past and change my decision not to join this agency."


	2. It always starts with a Petrelli

**Disclaimer: **

The last time I checked, I still don't own "Heroes", "The Dark Knight", "Lord of the Rings", "Supernatural", or all other shows/books I mentioned here. Let me assure you, I never will.

**Note: **

Thanks for those who reviewed. Any feedback is always appreciated. Otherwise, how could I know what the readers want?

The actual "high profile" case will be presented a few chapters later. The first few chapters are catered for the initial set up of the agency. I apologize to those who want to go to the "mystery" directly.

Offer for betaing this story is still accepted. :-)

**Warning: **

Spoiler for Season 3 episode 1 and 8. After watching episode 8 last night (I'm usually 10 days behind the NBC airing), I actually did see a pattern with the Petrellis which I incorporated here today. Let me assure you, although it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not, just my observation.

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"Come on, Nathan. It will be fun."

"I don't think so, Pete. I don't think we even have the same idea of fun."

"Sure, we have, do you remember the last time we got so drunk in your stag night? You said it was the last and most fun you ever had."

"Did you miss the part I said _last_ in that statement? It wasn't so much fun the day after anyway with my worst hangover and mum's nagging about being childish and irresponsible, as if she's a very responsible mother herself with allowing her child to blow the whole New York. Anyway, as I said, that was the last fun I ever had."

"Come on, don't tell me you never have fun afterward? How about the night you spent in Vegas with a blonde? I wouldn't say it was my idea of fun having an affair but I guess it's for you. How about when you played detective with Matt in Philadelphia? Don't tell me the last one wasn't fun."

"Sure, I had so much fun being chased by Bennet and his partner afterward. Not to mention I really enjoyed Matt trying to kill me and fighting with what I thought was my alter ego. What I wouldn't give in the world to have that experience again?"

"Well, I don't mean the aftermath but during the events. You know, happiness is a journey, not a destination."

"Wow, where do you learn that proverb from? Do you actually read or did you pick the power to spew random proverb up? Do you know that some of us like to think of consequences as well? That proverb is meant to be used for people trying to achieve something, not while they're having fun."

"Hey, I get the proverb from a book, I _do_ read. Anyway, that's beside the point. What do you have to lose anyway? It's not like you're going to be a politician soon or back to be a DA. You can make use of your skills and help people at the same time."

"It's funny that every time I heed your advice about doing the right thing and help people, I end up dying, twice, if I recall correctly. I'm not sure I'll be that lucky or unlucky, depending on how you see it, the third time. The third time's the charm and all that. I don't really want to mock death too often. Do you remember the last time you tried to be a hero and ended up in comma?"

"Well, this one is different. We're not trying to be heroes, just doing our job, earning our money, saving people, hunting criminals at the same time. How come I sound like Dean Winchester from Supernatural? Anyway, it's a win-win situation, well, except for the criminals I guess. Don't you ever want to be a detective?"

"Damn you, Pete! With your mind reading ability, there's no secret anymore. I don't know where I should go, perhaps Antarctica, you keep reading my mind at home even I asked you not to and when I am out, I often bump into Matt. I must be a magnet for mind readers. I think there are two too many mind readers in New York."

Peter grinned widely.

"Don't you mean three? How about Matt's father? Hey, does it mean you admit that you do want to be a detective? I think part of your job as a DA was also to dig others' secrets anyway. I think you're very good at that. I know you want to be a detective not from reading your mind but you told me a few times when I was a kid. I always admire you for that. That doesn't mean I don't know your other secrets from mind reading though."

Nathan groaned.

"That's a really disadvantage for me then. OK, I did want to be a detective but I think it's more practical to be a DA and prosecute bad guys directly anyway. I guess that was not an option for me anymore."

"Does it mean you agree to set up your own detective agency?"

"Do you know how much effort it takes to set up anything in New York? With escalating rent, advertising, insurance, inflation, credit crunch, recession, etc, we'll be lucky to earn a dime at the end of the day."

"I thought you like challenges. I'm sure with your connection and intelligence; you can overcome most of those challenges. I know you will. You love challenges. Are you saying yes then?"

"Well, I think it's not a bad idea. You're right, I do love challenges. Are you going to help me then?"

"Sorry, Nathan, you're on your own for this."

"What? I've wasted the last hour for you and you would just dump all these ideas on me and left me out in the cold. How about the word "us" and "we" you used so often then?"

"I still have my nursing job. Not to mention I may need to rush to save the world again."

"Sure, you do. The world really needs Peter Petrelli. Wait a minute, how come you can go back to your nursing job but I can't go back to be a DA or a politician?"

"Well, hospitals are always short of nurses. I think it will be easy for me to get a new job. The last job kinda blew off with me suddenly rushing to Texas to save Claire. It's different for you though, there are plenty of DA and politicians in New York, too many to my liking. With Linderman's death, who would back you up financially? Please don't tell me mum will do that. I thought being a DA or a politician also about reputation. I'm not saying you're not reputable but you know what I meant. Not to mention you may end up like Harvey Dent. Well, you sort of did but luckily Adam could help. Too bad they don't have the healing blood in the Dark Knight universe. Nolan wanted to make it so _realistic_ although healing blood sounds too miraculous to exist even in the real world."

"I'm sorry, I think you lost me since the Harvey Dent's part."

"Oh, never mind, I've just finished watching the Dark Knight, perhaps you should watch it too. There were some parallels between you and Harvey. Anyway back to the topic, yeah, nursing is highly sought after, but not DA, unless by the Joker, um, I mean, criminals bent on revenge."

"I'd not try to understand the last part of your statement. As far as I remember, it's always a Petrelli trying to kill me, not some other random bad guys. First, Dad tried to kill me with the car accident thing, then you nearly killed me with your near-blowing New York thing, and if I remember correctly, it was a bit hazy when you mixed getting shot with time travel, your future self shot me in the Texas press conference. Actually I started to see a pattern here. And the funny thing is people think I'm the jerk of the family while I'm the only one not trying to kill a family member."

Peter was slightly furious.

"Are you insane saying that our family consists of murderers or attempted murderers since you're still alive? Are you implying that a Petrelli will kill a Petrelli? What's next? Mum actually killed Dad instead of him committing suicide? Or sweet Claire will kill me in the future? Perhaps I will try to kill you again in the future? I said try since so far with all attempts towards your life, you're still breathing, not that I'm complaining, mind you. How about some absurd idea while we're at it? Sylar has been trying to kill Claire and me, right? Are you saying that he's a Petrelli too?"

"For God's sake, I'm just stating the facts that I know, not speculating wildly. How do you come up with the idea that Sylar is a Petrelli anyway? I thought your imagination is not that deep. Back on topic, thank you so much for saying that I'm not as in demand as you're. Whose fault is that I'm not reputable anymore? I laid in hospital for more than 3 months and then I became drunk as I thought you were dead and Heidi left me."

"That's so sweet of you to become drunk because of me. I'd do the same for you in a heartbeat, although with my super regeneration, I don't think I can really get drunk. Note to self, try to get drunk. Not that I want you to be dead, mind you. What's important is what lies ahead. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

"You have been watching Lord of the Rings recently as well, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. How do you know?"

Nathan smirked.

"I don't know, lucky guess perhaps. Well, I can do lots of things, cooking, bartending, and public speaking. Why didn't you suggest that kind of profession?"

"Well, do you want to be a chef or a bartender or a public speaker?"

"Not really. But why private detective?"

"Because you always want to and you can. The fact that you just noticed the pattern about attempts on your life kind of show that as well."

"Fair enough. Why don't you want to help me?"

"I don't say that I don't want to help."

"Yes, you did. You said I'm on my own."

"Oh! Let me rephrase it. I would like to help in a consultant capacity, only when there's a very difficult case which can't be solved."

"Why would I want to find you for a difficult case? You're not exactly the brightest Petrelli or the brightest people I've met in fact. Why can't I consult smarter people like Mohinder or more experienced people like Bennet or even Matt?"

"Gee, thanks for the vote in confidence. Mohinder is book smart but I wouldn't really trust his character judgment, he went for a road trip and invited Sylar to his house, which in turn caused me nearly getting killed. In fact, he did kill me. I agreed Bennet is smart and experienced but I don't know whether you can trust people who tried to abduct you before. Well, I have nothing against Matt, except the headache we experienced when we bounced telepathy with each other, you can ask him."

"Wow, I don't know that you've such a shrewd judgment of people now. How about you and Adam? How could you judge Mohinder when you trusted somebody who nearly killed the whole world population? Gee, I'm so tired with the special people keep trying to play God. Despite my unwillingness to help, I'm still involved with them twice. I wonder who the cause of those might be."

Peter winced.

"People did make mistakes. Live and learn, brother, live and learn."

"You know that you sound so mature today and it scares the hell out of me."

"There's a first for everything. Back to what I said about me being consultant for difficult cases. What I meant was when it comes to action like tailing people or interrogating people, it would be too easy for me. I could just turn invisible or hear their thought, hence no challenge. Besides, I do enjoy nursing too much to throw it away."

"Do you know that detective work is more deductive work and brain power than action and muscle?"

"You agree that you're more suitable than me then. Not that you don't have the muscle but I don't have the brain. I wish there was a power that makes me very smart. If you really need me with some difficult case that needs my powers, I can always help."

"Well, it doesn't sound too bad if you put it that way. I don't think I can do all the operative and deductive, not to mention administrative work, though."

"I said I couldn't help full time but you can always ask other people help, hire them, in fact."

"Hmm, I wonder who I can hire."

"Well, Matt for a start since you sort of mentioned him before."

"Sure, I can ask him."

"I'm sure you can ask others like Mohinder or Hiro."

"I thought you don't trust Mohinder's judgment."

"Well, I hope he also learns from mistakes. He can do all the lab works like the CSI things and you do the deduction and judgment if you don't trust his."

"That actually isn't a bad idea, Pete. I'm proud of you. Let me buy you a drink since you want to test whether you can get drunk. I will ask the people you mentioned plus others I can think of tomorrow."

"I thought you are off alcoholic drinks since the last incident."

"I only said I am buying you, not myself."

"Wow, thanks. You're indeed a great brother."

"I just hope your idea doesn't get me killed again, Pete. I'm really tired of dying or died or whatever the stage of dying I was at."


End file.
